Has Simmons shown enough to get a raise?
Isn’t it about time we put big- time respect, not to mention some serious cash, on the name of Broncos safety Justin Simmons?
During another Sunday afternoon when it seemed Denver was bent on inventing a way to lose, Simmons ended any notion of a Miami comeback and all the nonsense that can overwhelm a reeling NFL team by grabbing an interception to seal a 20- 13 victory the Broncos desperately needed.
“Just knew they were going to take a shot there in the end zone with ( Miami quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick) being so aggressive and just found a way to come down with the football,” Simmons said.
Money doesn’t need to brag. And Simmons is money.
So why won’t director of football operations John Elway pay him?
With the Denver defense looking dazed and confused by the FitzMagic being wielded by Miami’s wily backup quarterback, Simmons stepped up, stepping boldy in front of a pass intended for Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker in the end zone with 63 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
“He’s one of the best safeties in the league and I stand by that,” Broncos linebacker Malik Reed said.
Simmons is All- Pro material. So why did the knuckleheads that vote for the Pro Bowl snub him a year ago?
Beats me. I don’t get a vote. Kindly file your grievances elsewhere.
If you want my truth, if Simmons’ peers don’t give him the proper respect, that’s their problem. Who cares?
But if Elway isn’t ready to give the 27- year- old safety a longterm contract, that’s a whole ‘ nuther deal, not to mention a problem for a franchise that has had trouble doing the right thing since winning Super Bowl 50 nearly five years ago. Elway, who might be harder to beat at the negotiating table than he was on the field, slapped the franchise tag on Simmons for 2020 at a price of $ 11.44 million, when the difficult boss and his talented safety couldn’t reach a handshake on a contract that would make everybody happy.
Safeties Budda Baker of Arizona and Tyrann Mathieu from the Chiefs both get paid north of $ 14 million per year. Simmons, who has produced four interceptions already this season, is the equal of either of those guys.
Show Simmons the money, please. Let’s not mess around any longer. He has earned the respect inherent in a long- term contract.
Simmons cannot possibly get snubbed for the Pro Bowl again this season, can he? The real question should be: How does he start building a career where Simmons is a no- doubt selection for All- Pro honors each and every year?
“Obviously, you strive to be a Pro Bowl, All- Pro player in every regard,” Simmons said. “But the bigger picture for myself is just making sure I’m doing my job at a high level, doing what’s asked of me as a safety for our defense, and then making sure I’m bringing some guys along with me.”
Simmons makes teammates better. That’s how a leader rolls.
After Drew “Vapor” Lock threw a mindless interception on Denver’s first offensive possession of the game, a bad turnover that quickly staked Miami to a 7- 0 lead, the Broncos settled down. They started scratching and clawing back with a fierce pass rush, grounding and pounding with slashing runs by Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon, on their way to something we were all afraid this team had forgotten how to do: Take a lead into the locker room at halftime. Hold the presses! The Broncos entered admission ahead 13- 10.
“I’d alway like the early lead, that’s for ( darn) sure,” Denver coach Vic Fangio said.
When the Broncos can play with a lead rather than trail in desperation, they can be the runfirst team Elway built. Just as important, Denver pass- rushers can pin their orange ears back to not only make quarterback Tua Tagovailoa very blue with sacks, but also chase the ballyhooed rookie to the Miami bench early in the fourth quarter with battered confidence.
Now that’s the formula to let Lock develop patiently and the Broncos win more regularly.
“We’d definitely like to play that style of play both sides of the ball,” Fangio said.
After four consecutive games that saw a once- dominant defense surrender 30 or more points, including an embarrassing 37- 12 shellacking by da hated Raid- uhs, this is precisely the biceps- flexing performance the Broncos needed to rebuild the faith and renew trust in teammates.
What changed?
“It was kind of just being angry about how last week went down and we just know we’re better than that,” Simmons said.
Yes, the Denver D has missed linebacker Von Miller, whose ankle injury made this team feel as if it was being stalked by dark clouds before this weird NFL season even began. But the Vonster is the Broncos’ glorious past, and coming off injury on the wrong side of his 30th birthday, Miller might well have to take a paycut to remain with the team in 2021.
Simmons is not only the current leader of this defense but its future.
Put some respect on his name, Mr. Elway.
And we all know the only genuine way to R- E- S- P- E- C- T in pro sports.
It’s spelled M- O- N- E- Y.